Rodney Wright won Tuesday's Republican runoff for Saline County sheriff, beating out opponent Simon Haynes.
Complete but unofficial results were:
Wright ........................ 4,997
Haynes .......................4,800
Wright, 43, has worked for the Benton Police Department for 20 years. He is a lieutenant of the criminal investigation division and commander of the department's SWAT team.
In 2011, Wright was one of two Arkansas officers selected to the FBI Academy in Quantico, Va.
Wright, who grew up in Saline County, said he has a lot of knowledge about the county, its history and its problems.
"I've been able to see the trials and errors of our sheriff's department," he said. "I feel that I could make the most immediate impact and I've seen what needs to be changed."
Haynes, 43, is a captain at the Pulaski County sheriff's office and serves as commander of the criminal investigations division and SWAT team.
He has worked for the Pulaski County sheriff's office for 20 years and has also led the patrol, training and internal affairs divisions.
Haynes said he's happy with the way the race turned out considering that he's new to Saline County.
"We entered this race three months ago as a virtual unknown, and we took it down to the wire," he said. "We're very proud of the numbers we got tonight."
Wright and Haynes were among seven people who vied to become the Republican candidate for sheriff in the May 20 primary election. Neither received a majority of the 14,495 votes cast. Haynes secured 4,321 votes, and Wright got 4,275.
Wright will face Democratic candidate Rodney Goshien Sr., 61, in the November general election.
Goshien owns a roofing business, R&R Roofing, and said his more than 30 years of experience running the company has prepared him to lead the sheriff's office.
"All this sheriff's job is is an administrative job," he said. "I've been an administrator. I'm good at hiring and I'm good at firing."
The sheriff's position, which is a two-year term, currently pays $79,831 annually.
The candidate who wins the general election will take the helm of a sheriff's office that has been in the public eye a lot recently. In mid-May, three of the office's ex-officials were charged with multiple felonies.
Bruce Pennington, former Saline County sheriff, and Jo Nell Mallory, former chief deputy of finance for the sheriff's office, are accused of stealing money from the office and dismissing court-ordered community service and fines in exchange for personal favors.
A third person, Michael Frost, formerly the lieutenant over the criminal investigation division, is charged with giving drugs to a federal confidential informant.
All three have pleaded innocent.
Pennington had been convicted of public intoxication and resisting arrest last year, prompting him to resign from office before his term expired.
He filed to run for sheriff again this year but chose to withdraw before the May primary election. His name remained on the ballot, which had already been printed.
Wright said the sheriff's office will have to work hard to restore its rapport with the public.
"We're going to do that by having a professional department," he said. "We're going to have to get out and interact with people."
Goshien said he thinks having a dialogue with the community is key.
"Let the people tell you what needs to be changed," he said. "And you don't cover up anything."
Saline County residents also cast ballots for the Republican candidate for assessor in Tuesday night's runoffs.
Bob Ramsey, 62, beat his opponent, Gary Ballard, 63, by almost a thousand votes.
With all 42 precincts reporting, unofficial results were:
Ramsey . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5,232
Ballard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4,313
Ramsey is unopposed in the November general election.
He garnered more than 400 fewer votes than his opponent in the May 20 primary, when he received 4,259 votes to Ballard's 4,746.
Ramsey is retired from the Benton Fire Department and his trucking equipment business.
He said he and his family and friends have done a lot of campaigning in the past month to get people back to the polls for the runoff.
"I knew that was going to be the challenge in the runoff," he said. "I think that's what got me over the hump."
Ramsey said he will spend the coming months working with the current assessor, Jim Crawford, so he can get familiar with the way the office runs.
Ballard works as a GIS administrator at the assessor's office. He said he looks forward to working with Ramsey.
"He won fair and square," Ballard said. "I just wish him well in his endeavors."
Metro on 06/11/2014